BAT - Troubleshooting & General Discussion

[autoVino 26]

Well, you can get it into gmax as long as sketchup can export to the 3ds format... which the google version or trial version (At least I don't think it can) can't unless you buy the full thing...

[bigcityNY 0]

Originally posted by: Jasoncw .SC4Model, .SC4Lot, .SC4Desc, .dat  all go into your plugins folder.

You can only open those files using iLive Reader, the Lot Editor, or the Plugin Manager.quote>

 

Ok im glad u said that because i had downloaded a few buildings and when i put them in the game their was a box in place of the building. Where can i get those and which one of them are free?

[Jasoncw 11,840]

It's all free.  It's against the terms of service for the BAT and the other tools to charge money.

Brown boxes appear when you don't put all of the files in that you need.  Read the readmes. 

[theredbass 0]

gmax wont take my sketchup stuff it say error and then the name of what it saved as.

ahhh!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

In sketchup, you probably need to go to File>Export as...  And then pick a file that can be imported with Gmax.  You can't just open the file in Gmax, you need to export and import it.

[bigcityNY 0]

ok i downloaded the lot editor can this open all of the files or do i have to download the other 2 u mentioned?

[Jasoncw 11,840]

The lot editor edits lots.  It will open .SC4Lot files.  But I don't understand what you want to do.

[djf3591 1]

I am having problems getting the BAT because I can't get gmax. Everytime I try to download it, it says that 'Setup.exe' doesn't exist and quits in me. I don't really need the BAT, but I need the plugin manager badly.

Can anyone help?

[bigcityNY 0]

ok im sorry let me clarify i want to put tons of buildings of all sorts that i download from the stex and not have them pop up in the game as boxes. i want to have maybe one city thats nothing but tons and tons of bats and outrqageously huge skyscrapers. id like all of my modds to work.(well actually i think they do but still)does that help u out? I downloaded gmax but i read on one of the message boards and someone was saying that once u download gmax and the other programs u have to redownload all of ur stex stuff if u want it to pop up in the game as the buildings and not boxes. is that true? and again sorry for confusing u.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

dj3591:  I don't know what to say.  Does it give you that message when you download it, or when you try to install it?  Try redownloading it.

BigCityNY:  You don't need any of those programs for your plugins to work, and you don't need to reinstall your plugins when you download any of those programs.  The boxes show up when you have a lot, but are missing something on the lot, like a prop, or the building itself.  Whenever you download, make sure to read the STEX description, and read the readme, and download all of the dependencies.  Dependencies are files that are not in the download (but your lots depend on those files in order to work as intended).  Also, make sure to install all of the files that you need that were included in the download (read the readme to find out which are needed).  Does that clear things up? 

[djf3591 1]

I just needed to restart the computer and it worked after.

[Jazzmaster 716]

I looked throught the Omnibus and Forums, but I can't seem to figure this one thing out...I'm this close to officialy finishing my first real BAT of a building; textures, roof junk, windows, doors, lights...oh, that's right.  The BAT will not render the lights.  Now, I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I still can't figure it out.  The best part is, when I look at the preview, the lights show up, and yes, I did add the prefix "nite" to the windows.  Does anybody know the problem or, at the very least, a link to possible solutions?  I would be very greatful!

[Jasoncw 11,840]

The lights have probably rendered, but you don't have the BAT nitelites update from the official website, so you can't see them in the game.  But keep in mind, that other people who do have the update can see the lights.

Here's the update:

Click Here to Download (from the official site, must be registered there)

Here's a link to the page it's on:

http://simcity.ea.com/coolstuff/bat/index.php

"B.A.T. has opened up possibilities with custom buildings in SimCity 4 Deluxe like no other tool before it. To get the most out of your B.A.T. when you play SimCity 4 Deluxe you will want to apply this new update to your game. The update will enable those custom buildings that have night time effects to display properly in the game.

To get this update click on the "SimCity 4 Update" link found right

here.

"

[Jazzmaster 716]

When I try to run the update, an error message pops up saying "old file not found, however, a file of the same name was found. No updates were done since the contents of the file do not match."

[Jasoncw 11,840]

It is telling you that you already have a file of that name on your computer there, but that the contents of the file are different.  (It's a different file, but they have the same name, like downloading a song, called "coolsong.mp3" and then downloading a different song also named "coolsong.mp3".

I don't really know anything more than that though.

But anyway, your lights did render, even if you can't see them, they are there.

[Jazzmaster 716]

They did? How long should I wait for them to show up in game? About 2 nights, maybe? Thanks for you'll help, I'll go test it later, then.

EDIT: I think I've figured it out; I cleaned out my plugins folder and put all those files except the one's I needed, so I could lot/mod/test etc. faster, and the night lights update was in there.  I'll try to go find it...

Yup, it was in my "temporary plugins".  I feel so stupid...

[skyliner22 16]

I got a fatal error saying: Interactive 3D Renderer initialization failed. Please check your device settingsby using the-H command line option. What does this mean? Sorry serious BAT ***** here

[bigcityNY 0]

Originally posted by: Jasoncw dj3591:  I don't know what to say.  Does it give you that message when you download it, or when you try to install it?  Try redownloading it.

BigCityNY:  You don't need any of those programs for your plugins to work, and you don't need to reinstall your plugins when you download any of those programs.  The boxes show up when you have a lot, but are missing something on the lot, like a prop, or the building itself.  Whenever you download, make sure to read the STEX description, and read the readme, and download all of the dependencies.  Dependencies are files that are not in the download (but your lots depend on those files in order to work as intended).  Also, make sure to install all of the files that you need that were included in the download (read the readme to find out which are needed).  Does that clear things up?  quote>

 

Ok so i followed ur advice but some of them are still popping up as boxes and i read the readmes but theyre only sayin(and this gos for almost all of them)which ones to choose depending on wether u want a plop or growable. I have yet to see a readme that spelled out which ones to place in the plugins folder. Usually i pick whichevr one says plop,copy that, then place it in the plugins but there are always others that ive just ignored unless it said _.lot. From wat ur saying it sounds like i should be putting some others in there as well.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

The .SC4Model files are the buildings themselves, you need to put those in your plugins folder too.  That's where the brown boxes are probably coming from.

Everything that the uploader includes is in there for a reason.  And the file naming scheme should make it clear which files go where, although some familiarity with the file types is assumed.

[bigcityNY 0]

Ahhhhhhh omg thank u so much for explanin that if u havent already figured it out im no where near familiar with modds. lol thank u for giving me the golden key for my download future. ah now it makes so much more sense! thanks jason.

[lil_momo 0]

The 'Lesson on lattice' tutorial says that I have to check 'Display mesh' but I can't find any 'Mesh Settings' rollout

Yoshiisland, could you tell me how you managed it ?

I also cleaned out my plugins folder but the error's still there.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

On the right panel, there are several tabs.  One with an arrow and a bright spot next to it (create), and one with a blue curve, which is actually a spline displayed (modify), and then some more, and then the hammer (utilities).

The mesh settings rollout is in the modifier tab. 

[lil_momo 0]

Sorry Jason I can't find it

[Jasoncw 11,840]

You need to "create shape from selection" when you have the lines selected.  If you already did that, then you need to unselect the cone and select the new spline.

[lil_momo 0]

Thanks!!

[savior_25 0]

I got 2 questions regarding the bat I'm new to the batting thing...but i do understand some of it so far.. anyway what i don't know is How do i import a picture into gmax that i want to use on a highway sign? and second.. I have exported some signs to the lot editor.. maybe 10 signs or so.. all the same but with different writing on them.. and here is the question.. 8 of them.. made it to the lot editor.. the last 2 won't get exported to the lot editor.. why is that? i cant figure it out.. tried to save them under different names, changes the color.. writing and alot of things.. but nothing seems to help at all... Any ideas what I have done wrong? Thx in advance..

[autoVino 26]

To import pictures, you use textures.  Goto the material editor, for the diffuse map select bitmap and then your texture.  Apply it it your object and give it a uv map modifier, which you can play around with.

What do you mean can't get exported to the lot editor?  Is there an error in bat that does not allow an export?  Does it export and not show up in lot editor?  Can you be more spesific.  Make sure that your model is centered and is inside lods is all I can think of right now.
Hope that helps!

[savior_25 0]

Thx now i found out how to import pics... anyway the other problem is still not solved.. so I will try and be more specific.. ok here goes.. I have made the model.. in the bat parameters.. re-fit the lot and then export... now the file shows up in the plug in manager... I then move it to PLOPS and start lot editor.. but here I can't find it.. so the question is where did i screw up things

[savior_25 0]

think i solved the problems now... somehow it fix the problems by saving a few times under different names

[Jazzmaster 716]

I go to draw a line from the "create" tab (under the shapes roll-out), nothing bad so far. However, when finished drawing the line, it asks me if I would like to close the spline, so I click "yes" and an unsightly bulge forms on my spline. If I don't close the spline, after I try to extrude the mesh it appears "broken". Does anybody know the problem and how to fix it?